The Warrior that Found Peace
by MissShayla
Summary: What happened between Janeway and Chakotay on New Earth? Will unforeseen consequences from their time on the planet tear the command team apart?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

There was no way on Earth, or New Earth to be exact, that she was going to sleep anytime soon. She had retreated into her room on the pretense of going to bed. However, if she was honest with herself, she had really gone to hide. Earlier, Chakotay had given her a wonderful massage. While it had certainly helped with the knots in her shoulder, the feeling of his hands moving across her neck and shoulders brought up emotions that she was too nervous to face. Even now, the memory of his strong hands on her sent shivers down her spine.

There had been attraction and feelings between them since the moment they met, but they had never acted upon it. As Captain she couldn't allow herself to have that kind of a relationship with a member of her crew, especially her first officer. As Kathryn, she longed for it deeply. He made her feel things she had never felt for anyone else in her life. Yes, she had loved Mark, and she still did to a certain extent, but her feelings for Chakotay were on an entirely different level. She had loved him from the moment he had stepped foot on Voyager, but only in her dreams was she ever able to tell him that.

Sitting up in her bed she knew that hiding in here from him was foolish. The tension between them was getting greater every day they were here, and it was time to talk about this. They would define parameters between them and stay just friends until she could find a cure allowing them to leave this planet. Just friends… even though she would rather run and kiss him instead.

Stepping around the half wall that separated her bedroom from the dining area, she found him still seated at the table. It was a cozy picture before her. The small lamp in the corner cast a warm glow around the room, and in his hands he worked on one of his projects for the house. It warmed her heart how he worked to make this a home for them, even going as far as to make her a bathtub to relax in.

He looked up at her as she approached the table, surprise evident on his face.

Taking a seat across from him, she took a deep breath. "We have to talk about this."

He looked down to the project in his hands, and then after setting it down on the table he met her eyes again. "All right."

"I think we need to define some parameters…about us." As soon as the words were out of her mouth she regretted saying them, no matter how necessary they might be.

"I'm not sure I can define parameters. But I can tell you a story, an ancient legend among my people. It's about an angry warrior who lived his life in conflict with the rest of his tribe, a man who couldn't find peace, even with the help of his spirit guide. For years, he struggled with his discontent. But the only satisfaction he ever got came when he was in battle. This made him a hero among his tribe, but the warrior still longed for peace within himself. One day he and his war party were captured by a neighbouring tribe led by a woman warrior. She called on him to join her because her tribe was too small and weak to defend itself from all its enemies. The woman warrior was brave and beautiful and very wise. The angry warrior swore to himself that he would stay by her side, doing whatever he could to make her burden lighter. From that point on, her needs would come first. And in that way, the warrior began to know the true meaning of peace."

"Is that really an ancient legend?" She smiled humorously at him, but he could see the emotion welling in her eyes.

"No, but that made it easier to say"

She held out her hand to him as the tears began to fall softly down her cheeks. He grasped her hand and ran small circles with his thumb over her skin. Long minutes passed as they stared across the table at one another.

She knew when she had come back out from her room that this conversation was going to be difficult. She had believed that parameters needed to be set in order to keep them in line, but Chakotay's words had struck something deep within her. Her walls started to crumble. Maybe setting parameters would have been necessary on Voyager, but now? It was just the two of them here on this planet in the Delta Quadrant after all, possibly for the rest of their lives.

There was no way the responsible captain side of her was going to win this one.

His eyes dropped from hers as he spoke again, "I know before when I asked you if you would ever pair off with someone on the ship you had told me that as the captain you did't have that luxury." Leaning forward in his seat he looked back into her eyes, silently pleading to her. "Kathryn, you aren't the captain anymore. It is just you and me here."

She slowly stood and came over to him. Pulling him to his feet, she smiled softly.

"You're right."

Reaching up she ran her fingers into his hair and pulled his mouth down to hers. Their lips met, and in that moment Kathryn had never felt anything so right in all her life. She could feel his overwhelming love for her as he deepened the kiss. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She lost herself in him. Their hands traveled over each other's body, desperate for one another. When they finally pulled away, both gasping for air, Kathryn looked up at him. He could see the desire and need burning in her eyes.

"Chakotay…please," she whispered, her voice husky.

Understanding her meaning, he swept her up into his arms and carried her into his bedroom. They were really going to do this, Kathryn thought to herself. After years of waiting, her and Chakotay were finally going to make love.

He set her down softly on the bed, and leaned over her, placing kisses on her jaw. A moan escaped her lips as he continued down her neck. Pulling away from him, she slid her hands up underneath his shirt and pulled it up over his head. Tossing it across the room, she sat up to work on his pants while he loosened her gown. Soon those items joined his shirt on the floor. When she laid back down he took a moment to admire her glorious naked body in the moonlight.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, tears coming to his eyes.

She sat back up and pulled him close to her. Placing her hands on either side of his face she brought his eyes to hers.

"I love you"

The tears fell from his eyes, and his beautiful smile could have lit up the entire room. "You don't know how long I have dreamed of hearing you say that."

Their lips met again and she pulled him down over her as she sank back to the bed. He slowly trailed kisses down her neck and collarbone. Moving further down he took one of her hardened nipples in his mouth. Using his tongue he drew circles over it, drawing a moan from Kathryn. Her back arched, further pressing her breast into his mouth, as her hands gripped at the sheets beneath her.

Moving to her other breast she begged to feel him inside of her. His lips continued to travel south, down her flat stomach, until they pressed to her center. He heard her gasp as his tongue entered her. At long last, he granted her wish. Placing a soft kiss on her lips he slowly eased into her. Her hands gripped his shoulders as they took a moment to adjust to each other, and then they were moving. She ran her hands up and down his strong back trying to feel as much of him around her as possible. His hands twisted in her hair as he left kisses on her neck. They felt so perfect together. Each thrust of him inside her bringing her closer and closer to her release.

He could tell she was getting close, and reaching down he found her spot. Gripping him tightly, she came hard around him. Her eyes closed, and her back arched off the bed. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. The sight of her pleasure was enough to send him over the edge after her. He held on to her for dear life as he poured himself into her.

He collapsed on top of her, breathless. They laid there for a long time, waiting for their breathing and heart rates to return to normal. Finally, he slowly eased out of her, and moving to lay beside her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, and pulling her in close to him he whispered to her, "I love you so much Kathryn."

She turned in his arms to face him, a beautiful smile gracing her lips, "I love you too Chakotay."

Wrapped in each other's arms, they drifted off into a peaceful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Birds were chipping in the trees, and Kathryn Janeway slowly opened her eyes. Rays of sunlight came in through the small window, and covered the bed in their warm glow. It appeared to be midmorning already, and she couldn't remember the last time she had slept in this late. Although, after yesterday they had both needed the rest. She turned and the sight of Chakotay lying next to her took her breath away. Still asleep, his mouth had fallen slightly open, and he looked so peaceful as he dreamed. One arm was thrown over her, and his bare chest was exposed. She let one of her hands run across his chest and memories of the night before played through her mind. It had been a long time coming for them, and she could honestly say that she had never been so happy in all her life.

He stirred beside her, pulling her from her thoughts. Leaning over, she kissed him softly, pulling him back into the conscious world. His dark eyes opened and immediately found her bright blue ones.

"Good morning," he said, a smile spreading across his face

"Good morning," she returned, her own smile complimenting his.

"It appears that we slept most of the morning away, but what would you say to some breakfast?"

"That sounds lovely."

He leaned in and kissed her once more before crawling out of bed.

A few minutes later they both stood fully dressed in the kitchen. Chakotay started in on making his legendary pancakes. They were quickly becoming a favorite of Kathryn's. He had assigned her the task of mashing some of the wild berries they had found, to make a topping for the pancakes. Despite her knack for disaster in the kitchen, he was confident she could handle this task. Cup of coffee in hand, she got right to work.

The pancakes and the berry topping both turned out wonderful. As Kathryn finished up her last few bites, Chakotay pushed his empty plate away and leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

"I was thinking about our project for the day."

She pushed her own empty plate away, "What did you have in mind?"

"I would like to get the roof on my workshop before we get another one of those plasma storms. Will you give me a hand?"

"Absolutely. Let's get to it!" Kathryn stood up and cleared the dishes away, while Chakotay grabbed his homemade tool belt. Then, together they walked out the door.

Chakotay's workshop was nestled behind their shelter. It was built in a log cabin style, and had proved to be pretty sturdy. The partially completed structure had suffered only minimal damage in the plasma storm, but Chakotay wanted to get a roof on it in case they were't so lucky next time. Eventually, he wanted to build a house in a similar fashion for Kathryn and him. Their flimsy shelter wouldn't last forever against the plasma storms, and when winter came they would need something more insulated.

They got to work on the roof. They worked fairly quickly together, and were able to complete the roof as well as a few other minor things on the workshop all before dinner time.

They ate a quick dinner, both wanting to relax after another busy day. After two days of hard manual labor, Kathryn's shoulders were killing her. She wanted nothing more than to take a long relaxing soak in her bathtub.

When she finally sank down into the warm water of her bath, a sigh of content escaped her lips. Now this felt good. The tension slowly started to melt away in her stiff muscles. Her eyes closed as she sank further down into the water.

"Mind if I join you?"

She jumped at the sound of Chakotay's voice, and opened her eyes to see him standing there next to the tub. He wore nothing but a white towel wrapped around his waist, and in his hands were two glasses of wine. He had an amused look on his face, as he smiled down at her, his dimples showing.

"Be my guest" she gestured for him to join her in the large tub.

He set the glasses of wine down on the side of the tub, and she watch him discretely as he untied the towel at his waist. Her heart beat faster as he pulled it fully off and set it down beside hers. He turned back to her then, and she couldn't help but stare at his strong muscles moving beneath his tanned skin.

She leaned forward and he moved in behind her, pulling her back to lean against his chest. He slowly started massaging her arms and shoulders, while she took a sip of the chilled wine. As his fingers moved she felt the last traces of her knots wash away. It was quickly replaced by the same sensation she had felt from his massage the previous night. There was a sort of electricity between them, and her breath caught. His hands stilled on her, and she felt him pressed against her, already hard. She turned to face him and their lips met. His hands on her waist pulled her on top of him. Straddling him, her head fell back as he worked his way down her neck, his hands moving across her back.

Reaching down between them she took him in her hands. She heard him groan as she stroked up and down his length. "Kathryn" he murmured into her neck. He looked up into her eyes and the passion she saw there drove her crazy. Moving her hands to his back, he slid inside her. They moved together, each one calling out each others name as they lost themselves in their passion. They reached their release at the same time, and held on tight to each other as they came back down from their climax.

Her arms were wrapped around his neck and her head rested on his shoulder. They sat there for a long time, content to just be together.

"Kathryn, the water is getting cold" he murmured to her, placing a soft kiss in her hair.

She looked up to him, a sleepy smile on her face, "I supposed its time to get out."

Untangling her body from his, they both got out of the tub. The air had tuned cool, and she shivered as he wrapped a towel around her. Then, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the house. She was very quiet the whole way in. Gently setting her down on the bed, he was surprised to find that she was already asleep. Laughing to himself he leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight Kathryn."

He then got to work on closing the shelter down for the night.

* * *

About two weeks later, Kathryn lay in her new garden. She was just finishing replanting some Talaxian tomatoes, when Chakotay came out of the shelter.

"How are they coming?" he asked, kneeling down beside her.

"Very nicely. We should have vine-ripened Talaxian tomatoes in a couple of months."

They chatted for a couple of minutes while she wiped the dirt off of her hands.

"If your tomatoes could spare you for a minute, I'd like your opinion on something in the house."

She stood and turned to him "Well, you've come to the right person. I always have an opinion."

"Really?" He followed her towards the house laughing to himself.

Inside the house, he pulled up a schematic on the computer for a boat that he had been working on.

"You said you wanted to explore the river. I think I could build this."

He could feel her excitement as she stared at the schematic.

"We could go on a camping trip!"

They were excitedly discussing their plans for a trip when faint static came from the shelf. She thought she was hearing things until Chakotay went to investigate and pulled out their old com badges. She walked over to him and they stood staring at the devices in his hand.

"…to Captain Janeway, do you read me? This is Tuvok calling Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay. Please respond."

They looked up at each other. Neither one knowing what to say. Kathryn tentatively picked up her old badge and tapped it.

"This is Janeway."

"Captain, it is good to hear your voice. We have news."

"What is it?" Her heart started to beat fast.

"We have medicine which we believe will effectively treat your condition. We plan to be in orbit within thirty hours."

"Thank you Tuvok, we will see you then."

When the transmission ended Kathryn was looking down at the badge in her hand. After a few moments she fastened it to her dress. Without looking up at him she spoke. "We have a lot of packing to do within the next thirty hours. I suggest we get started." She then turned and walked out of the house to begin collecting their supplies.

He watched her go, an uneasy feeling spreading in his stomach.

When night fell she came back in and immediately went to her room without saying anything to him. He paused in his packing of the kitchen and heard her get into bed. With a sigh he figured he might as well get some sleep as well. He walked into his half packed up room and laid down on his bed. The pillow still smelt of her, and he willed himself to ignore his feelings and to go to sleep. Tomorrow would be a long day.

He woke only four hours later. It was still dark outside, but he could hear Kathryn in the kitchen. Getting out of bed, he peered around the corner. The lamp was on in the corner and she was busy packing up the remainder of the kitchen. In the dim light he could see her cheeks were wet with tears. He wanted to go to her, but decided to finish packing up his room instead. He wanted to give her the time she needed to process everything that was happening.

She heard Chakotay get up, but she didn't bother looking to see if he came out of his room. Concentrating on packing was the only thing getting her through right now. When they had first been stranded on this planet, her only thought had been of finding a cure and returning to Voyager. After her research was destroyed in the storm she had come to terms with the idea that they would be here for a very long time, if not for the rest of their lives. She had slowly stopped thinking of Voyager so often, and was truly excited for her and Chakotay's future. Now that future could never happen. As soon as they were beamed back they would have to resume their previous duties. There was no way they could continue the relationship they had here while working as Captain and First Officer. She knew that her and Chakotay should talk about this, but she just couldn't. Her heart was broken, and she just didn't know what to say.

She was thankful that he stayed in his room, and gave her the time she needed to pull herself together. She was just finishing up the kitchen as the sun rose. A few minutes later she heard him come out.

"Morning." He called to her, testing the waters.

"Good morning." She kept her back turned to him. "Voyager should be here in about six hours."

"Alright. I can finish up out here if you want to work on your room."

She finally turned towards him. "I'm actually all done out here, and I packed up my room earlier." She needed to get away from him, but now that her packing was done she wasn't sure what she should do. "I think I'm going to take a walk. I just want to see this place one more time before we leave."

He stepped towards her, "Would you like me to come with you?" His eyes pleaded with her to let him in, but she just couldn't.

"No thank you, I know you still have some things to pack up in your workshop. I won't be gone long."

With that she walked around the table and out the door.

A little over five hours later Chakotay was placing the last of the containers outside on the lawn in front of their home. He was dressed in full uniform, and was getting ready to com Kathryn when she stepped out of the woods in front of him. She slowly stepped up to him, and looked up into his eyes. There were dried tears on the cheeks, and her eyes were filled with pain and hopelessness. She leaned up and placed a soft kiss on his lips before turning and walking into the shelter.

She returned a short time later dressed in her uniform. Her face showed no trace of her tears, and her hair was pulled up into a firm bun. Gone was his sweet Kathryn. In her place was the tough mask of the captain. She came and stood next to him, never looking in his direction.

"Janeway to Voyager. Two to beam up."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Palming open the door, Kathryn Janeway stepped into her quarters. Immediately she walked to the bathroom and began taking her hair down from its elaborate signature bun. She shook her hair free to fall down her back, and with her fingers she massaged her scalp. Then, placing her hands on either side of the sink she looked up to meet her reflection in the mirror. Empty blue eyes stared back at her. She looked as awful as she felt. The dark circles under her eyes were testimony to her lack of sleep, and she looked even paler than normal. On top of that, her pounding headache was doing nothing to help the situation. With a sigh she exited her bathroom, and went to change out of her stiff uniform.

Pulling on a robe over her night gown, she walked out into the living room. Her dinning room table was covered in gifts from the crew. Many people had stopped by after her and Chakotay had returned, each one welcoming her and saying how happy they were to have her back. It brought a smile to her face to see how much the crew cared for her.

Selecting one of the bottles of wine off the table, she poured herself a glass and sat down to relax on the couch. She picked up a PADD to read, but as she skimmed over the words her mind was elsewhere. It had been nearly three weeks since her return to Voyager, and her and Chakotay had hardly spoken outside of their shifts on the bridge. As soon as they had been beamed back to Voyager they had immediately been brought to sickbay. The Doctor had administered the cure, and after several excruciating hours of remaining under observation they were finally free to go. The Doctor had insisted however that they each report to sickbay twice a week for the following month in order to insure the virus didn't return. She hadn't gone in once. There had been too much to do. There had been repairs to oversee after the attack by the Vidiians, as well as reports to catch up on. She had thrown herself back into being captain, and in doing so, she pushed Chakotay further away. Their time on New Earth had been some of the happiest days of her life, but on Voyager she had the crew to look after. How would it effect the crew seeing their captain and first officer romantically involved? Not to mention all of the Starfleet protocols she would be breaking. Even if she could somehow overlook those issues, she had a deep fear that if she were involved with Chakotay she could be distracted from her mission to get her crew home. It could cause her to make rash decisions so that his life wouldn't be in jeopardy, and if someone else got hurt instead…. she could never live with herself.

The sound of the door chime brought her out of her thoughts.

"Come in"

It was rather late and she was surprised to see Kes at the door. She sat up quickly, setting the PADD down on the coffee table. "Is everything alright?"

Kes smiled calmly at her, "Yes Captain. I was just wondering if we could talk."

Kathryn nodded and made room for her to join her on the couch.

She sat down and they chatted for a while about the new vegetables Kes was growing, but Kathryn could tell she had something else on her mind. Kes became silent for a moment before she spoke again. "I know that this may not be my place, but the crew has been talking. They are worried about you and Commander Chakotay. The two of you have always worked so well together, but since you returned from the planet, something has felt off."

Kathryn smiled and placed a hand on Kes' shoulder. "I appreciate your concern. The last couple of weeks have been pretty tough on both him and I, but I promise you it will all be ok given time."

Kes was already starting to brighten up at this. Her worry for her friends replaced with reassurance. "I understand Captain. Thank you for your time."

"My door is always open to you Kes."

She stood then and walked to the door. Hesitating she stopped and turned to face the Captain once more. "Just know that whatever happens, the crew will always support you. Goodnight Captain."

As the door closed behind Kes, Kathryn slumped forward. Her head rested in her hands, and she could feel a knot building in her stomach. She had been trying to act as normal as possible so that the issue between her and Chakotay would stay between them, and go unnoticed by the crew. The crew had noticed. The two of them needed to talk now, even if she wasn't ready to. Tomorrow she vowed to herself. Tomorrow her and Chakotay would talk.

* * *

A blueberry muffin shimmered into view before her. Picking it up along with her morning coffee, Kathryn took a seat on the sofa. She picked up a PADD, and settled into reading B'Elanna's report on the new upgrade to the warp core as she ate her breakfast.

She had just started reading her third report for the morning when something felt terribly wrong. A strong wave of nausea came over her. The PADD clattered to the table as she jumped up and ran to the bathroom. She just made it in time, and dropping to the floor she threw up her breakfast into the toilet. When she was finished she sat back and leaned against the wall. Her hand came up to rest on her clammy forehead as her mind raced. When was the last time she had been sick like this? It had been years! She had been neglecting to go to sickbay since they had returned. What if the virus had come back? She pushed that thought from her mind. No, if that were the case she would have had more symptoms. It was far more likely that there was something wrong with the replicator, and that she had developed a mild case of food poisoning.

Picking herself up off the floor, she cleaned herself up. Opening a drawer in the vanity, she pulled out a hypospray. Pressing it to her neck she heard the soft hiss of the spray, and a few seconds later the nausea slowly started to dissipate. Taking a last look in the mirror, she straightened her uniform, and then walked out.

There was still another forty-five minutes until the start of the Alpha Shift, now would be as good a time as any to take a look at the replicator. Kneeling down she pulled the plating off the front and got to work.

Thirty-five minutes later and she had found nothing. With a frustrated sigh she placed a request for someone to come and take a look at it, and headed off to the bridge.

"Captain on the bridge!"

She greeted first Ensign Kim, and then the rest of the bridge crew. As she made her rounds she watched Chakotay out of the corner of her eye. Not once did he look up at her.

Taking a seat in her chair she greeted him. "Good morning Commander."

"Captain" He replied in a flat tone. This was not going to go nearly as well as she had hoped.

When lunch time rolled around she stood from her chair. "Commander Chakotay in my ready room. Tuvok you have the bridge." With that she turned and strolled into her ready room.

The bridge was silent behind her. Chakotay hesitated in his chair, as eyes turned towards him. Tom Paris turned around at the com and gave him a very knowing look. Choosing to ignore Tom, and everyone else for that matter, Chakotay followed the Captain into her ready room.

She was replicating herself a cup of coffee as the doors closed behind him.

"Chakotay we need to talk."

"About what?" He asked, crossing his arms in front of him.

"About us, about what happened on New Earth."

He looked down at the floor in front of him, "I'm not sure I want to talk about it."

"We need to Chakotay. The crew knows that there is something wrong between us. We have to talk about this."

He looked up at her then. She was expecting to see anger in his face given his reaction to her on the bridge that morning. Instead she saw hurt in his eyes.

"So that's it." He threw his hands up in the air. "The crew has noticed so now it is something we need to talk about. You have ignored this for three weeks Kathryn. I wonder, if the crew hadn't noticed would we ever be talking about this?" There it was, the anger she had been waiting for. In her silence she had hurt him far more deeply than she could ever have imagined.

It was her turn to look down at the floor now. "Chakotay, I…."

"Do you regret it?" He cut her off.

Her eyes flashed back up to his. Shock evident on her face. "No!" She tried taking a step towards him, but he backed away. "Chakotay, I could never regret what happened between us. On New Earth, with you, I was the happiest I have ever been." Tears came to her eyes, and his stiff frame softened when he saw how sincere she was.

"Then why push me away Kathryn? Why act like none of it happened?"

"Because it doesn't change anything! No matter how much I may want to be with you, it doesn't change the fact that I have a duty to get this ship home." He turned angrily away and began to pace.

After a few moments he finally turned to face her. She saw him open his mouth to speak, but all of a sudden the room began to swirl in front of her. She reached out and caught the wall, as she tried to steady herself. Chakotay was at her side in an instant. All traces of his early anger had been replaced by concern.

"Kathryn, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Even as she spoke memories of earlier that morning came back to her. An uneasy feeling creeped back up inside her.

Chakotay helped her over to sit on the sofa, and then went and replicated her a glass of water. She gratefully took it.

"Maybe you should go and see the Doctor."

"No, no. I will be fine. I just need to rest for a moment." Setting the glass down on the table, she placed a hand over her eyes and took deep breaths. Feeling the couch dip in, she removed her hand and saw Chakotay sitting close beside her.

"The Doctor told me you haven't been to any of your appointments since we came back."

She placed her hand over his, and gave him a reassuring smile. "Chakotay, I promise you, I am fine. I think I have a mild case of food poisoning from my replicator. I already put in a request to have someone come and take a look at it. I will be just fine."

For a moment it looked like he was going to argue back, but he ended up nodding instead.

"Torres to Captain Janeway" B'Elanna's voice came over the com.

"Janeway here."

"Captain, we are all set down here if you would like to look over those new modifications to the warp core."

"I'm on my way. Janeway out." Giving Chakotay one last reassuring glance, she stood and headed back out to the bridge.

* * *

She was exhausted when she finally got into bed that night. The rest of the afternoon had been spent between engineering, and a meeting with the senior officers. Needless to say, her and Chakotay had been unable to finish their conversation. After seeing how hurt he was by her distancing herself the past few weeks, she knew that they would have to return to the subject. She could no longer keep running away from this as she had been. Her options of being with Chakotay or remaining firm in her duties as Captain played through her mind, threatening to drive her crazy.

In the darkness of her quarters, Kathryn Janeway thought long and hard about her future.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chakotay stared at his Captain seated across from him. Her sharp blue eyes were fully engrossed in the PADD she held in one hand. The other hand drummed unconsciously on her desk, a clear sign she had other things on her mind than the report in front of her. They had been going over duty rosters and ship reports for the last two hours, and she had seemed distracted through the whole thing. While he didn't know for certain what was bothering her, he had several suspicions. They had never finished their conversation from two days prior and it had left things a little awkward between them. He also observed that she still appeared to not be feeling well. She had insisted she was fine, but he knew her better than that. Kathryn Janeway could be bleeding out on the floor and she would still tell you she was fine.

He looked up again when he heard her place the report down on the table. She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her temples. Her eyes were closed and he could swear she paled two shades while he watched her.

"That's it." He said placing his own PADD down.

"What's it?" She asked opening her eyes, but continuing to rub at her temples.

"You're going to sickbay."

"I'm fine Commander, just a little tired, that's all." She sat back up and returned to the file she had been reading, trying to look busy.

With a sign he let it go for the moment. They had several conversations just like this one yesterday, each one ending the same way, they both went back to working in silence.

She absentmindedly reached for her cup of coffee. Bringing it up to her lips she went to take a sip. It took her several moments to realize that it was empty. She looked down at it with a frown. Rising, she placed the PADD back down on her desk, and moved to go replicate herself another cup of coffee. She had taken no more than two steps when a wave of dizziness swept over her, much stronger than before. She caught herself on her desk, and steadied herself as she waited for the room to stop spinning around her. When it finally returned to normal she stared down at her desk and tried to calm her erratic breathing.

"Dammit Kathryn! I'm done arguing about this. You are going to sickbay, now."

She looked up at him, worry as well as frustration evident on his face. He stood and walked around the desk towards her, taking the empty coffee cup, that was somehow still in her hand, from her.

She glared up at him, and he glared right back. They stood like that for several minutes, neither one of them backing down. Finally, with a sigh of defeat she nodded and strode around him, heading for the door.

He followed her out of her ready room, across the bridge, and into the turbo lift. Receiving many strange looks from the bridge crew as they passed. As the doors of the lift slid shut she glanced over at him. "I do know my way to sickbay Commander."

He said nothing in reply, but simply raised an eyebrow. They road the rest of the way in silence.

The doors opened with a hiss in front of them, and he held up a hand indicating for her to lead the way. She brushed past him and carried on down the corridor, not bothering to look back to see if he was following. She walked with her usual confidence surrounding her. She needed him to believe she was confident that everything was alright. She couldn't admit to him just how scared she really was. Her illness was getting worse, and with every flair up she became more sure that the virus had returned. It was almost too much to imagine going through everything again, but this time she knew it would be different. Chakotay showed no symptoms of the virus. This time, if they had to leave her behind on some planet, she would be alone.

The doors to sickbay parted in front of her, and as she stepped into the room she felt like a caged animal. She wanted to turn and run, away from sickbay and away from what she knew was about to happen. She didn't run thought. Instead, she walked right past the doctor and straight to one of the biobeds. Without a word she hopped up on the bed and laid down. She folded her hands over her stomach and waited patiently as Chakotay talked with the doctor. Chakotay filled the doctor in on what he had observed over the past few days. Clearly she hadn't done as good of a job hiding her condition from him as she thought she had. He had seen right through her, just as he always did.

She heard them approach, but couldn't bring herself to look at either one of them. Instead, she opted for stared up at the ceiling while the doctor started scanning her. After a few moments it became unbearable and she looked over at the doctor. He folded up his tricorder and looked down at her in concern.

"Commander, I'm going to have to ask you to step out. I need to speak privately with the Captain."

She turned to look at Chakotay when he made no move to leave. There was so much worry written on his face.

"It's ok Commander, I'll join you on the bridge in a little while."

He nodded, but she could tell he didn't want to leave her. Reaching out he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before turning and leaving the room.

She waited to hear the doors closing behind him before she spoke. "It's the virus again isn't it?" She closed her eyes and waited to hear the finality of it all, the words that would seal her fate.

"No Captain, you don't have the virus."

Her eyes flashed open, and she sat up swinging her legs of the edge of the bed. "I don't?"

"No, although I can see why you might have been lead to believe that given your symptoms."

She had been so sure, and now her mind was racing to catch up to what was happening. "If I don't have the virus then what do you need to talk with me about?"

A tender look came over his face, and he placed a hand softly on her shoulder.

"Captain, you're pregnant."

Her whole world froze. For a second it felt like time itself had stopped. Just for a second, then she jumped off the biobed and pushed past the doctor. She began pacing the room as her mind began racing.

"How did this happen? I mean, I know I haven't been very good about attending my physicals. My shot is probably long overdue, but Chakotay…." She whipped around to face him. "Surely Chakotay was up to date on his shot. He is very on top of things like that."

The doctor realized her admission even when she didn't. Although given the situation over the last few months he wasn't surprised to hear that Chakotay was the father. "Captain, that information is confidential." The glare she gave him quickly made him rethink this words. "Although perhaps in this instance I can make an exception." He gestured for her to follow him into his office, and he took a seat behind his desk before continuing.

"Commander Chakotay is very proactive about his health, unlike other people," he raised an eyebrow at her. "However, he was not up to date on his shot." Panic briefly crossed across the captain's face before she hid it under her mask with the rest of her emotions. "I'm afraid it was in part my fault. His shot should have been renewed during the time you were both in stasis. However, I was so caught up in finding a cure for you both that it slipped my mind when you both woke up. I am sorry Captain."

She leaned across the desk towards him. "Doctor, believe me, this is not your fault. Chakotay and I should have been more careful." She straightened up, and the doctor nodded. "So what is our next step?"

"I'm going to give you a hypospray for the nausea as well as a vitamin supplement. I will also draw up a dietary guid, and have it sent to your quarters later this evening. I would like you to come back tomorrow after your shift for a more thorough examination. In the mean time, you have the rest of the night off. Your scans also indicated extreme fatigue and high levels of stress. You need to rest Captain." He was sure that she would argue with him, but she simply looked down at her feet and nodded. Loading up a hypospray he stood and pressed it to her neck.

"This should make you feel better."

"Thank you Doctor," she told him softly, and then left.

* * *

Chakotay was anxious, and everyone on the bridge knew it. He had spent the last two hours constantly glancing over at the turbo lift waiting for her to appear. She never did though. What he had seen in her eyes before he left sickbay scared him. She had looked at him with finality, as if she was accepting something terrible. As if she was saying goodbye. He had originally believed that her reluctance to go to sickbay was because she refused to believe she was sick. Now he wondered if it was something else. Was it because she knew she had some fatal illness? No, he refused to believe that. Kathryn Janeway was not going to die.

It had felt like the longest wait of his life, but eventually the alpha shift came to an end. He stepped onto the turbo lift, desperate to find out any news on the captain.

"Computer, locate Captain Janeway."

"Captain Janeway is in her quarters," the mechanical voice responded.

* * *

She paced the room over and over again, lost deep in thought. Since becoming stranded in the Delta Quadrant, she had come to accept the end of her engagement to Mark, as well as the end of any future of having children. She had always wanted to be a mother though, and the part of her that was Kathryn Janeway was overwhelmed with joy. The part of her that was Captain Janeway was thinking much more practically. Her mistake would have serious consequences for not only herself and Chakotay, but for her entire crew. She feared she would loose a great deal of respect from the crew because of this. It would also make her look vulnerable and weak to any species they encountered, thus having the potential to put her ship in jeopardy. Besides, Voyager was hardly a safe place to raise a child, even if her child would be the second one born on Voyager.

She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't hear her door chime at first.

"Enter," she called, finally hearing the third ring.

Turning to see Chakotay standing in her doorway, her anxiety started to rise. She wasn't prepared for this conversation yet.

"Kathryn, what happened? You never returned to the bridge." He walked into the room, and stopped just a few feet in font of her. She knew he wanted to reach out for her, but he held back.

"I'm sorry, the doctor suggested I get some rest. I guess I've been over doing it the past few weeks."

He gave a small laugh, "I'd say that's a bit of an understatement. I'm glad your alright thought."

She just nodded in response, unsure of how to tell him the rest of the news. Deciding she needed a few more minutes, she turned from him and walked over to the large viewport. With her back to him, she stared out at the stars streaming by, trying to control her emotions.

"Kathryn, is there something else?" She heard him come up behind her again and felt his hand on her shoulder.

With one last deep breath she turned to face him, and his hand fell to his side.

"Yes, and I'm not sure how it is going to effect us or the crew."

He was really worried now. "I'm sure whatever it is we will work thought it. We will find a way, we always do."

"Chakotay, I'm pregnant."

He stared at her, surprise and shock on his face. She waited nervously before him for him to say something, anything. When he finally recovered, a smile spread across his face, and there was pure joy in his eyes. She smiled along with him, but her eyes held so much fear. He reached out and grabbed her arms, pulling her into his embrace. She allowed herself to be held by him. Slowly relaxing into his touch, she had forgotten how right it felt to be in his arms.

Pulling back so he could look in her eyes, he dropped his hand and placed it against her still flat stomach. "Kathryn, this is one of the happiest moments of my life. While I can't say what will happen in the future, what dangers we will encounter, I can tell you that I will do everything in my power to protect you and our child. As for the crew, you have nothing to be afraid of. They love you Kathryn, and I have no doubt they will love this child equally as much."

Her eyes were filled with tears, and she wanted so badly to just give in to him. Raising up on her toes she softly placed a kiss on his cheek. Then, resting her head against his chest she listened to his heart beat. As her eyes closed, a tiny glimmer of hope welled inside her. Maybe, just maybe this would work out after all.


	5. Chapter 5

(Sorry for the delay on this one. Hope you enjoy it, and happy holidays!)

Chapter 5

The bridge was quiet on this particular afternoon as Voyager sped forward through the stars. Janeway shifted uncomfortably in the Captain's chair and tugged at the midsection of her uniform, again. Even without looking she could feel Chakotay's questioning eyes on her. She wasn't usually one to fidget. It had been six weeks since she had found out she was pregnant, and she still hadn't told the crew. While she was still no where near showing, everyday her uniform felt more and more constricting. She knew it was probably all in her mind, but she couldn't help it.

When the end of the alpha shift came she stood from her chair and straightened her uniform. Turning to face her First Officer, she saw an amused smile playing across his face. She held up a hand to keep him from saying anything, and welcomed the crew for the next shift onto the bridge. Then, she grabbed his arm and lead him to the turbo lift.

Entering her quarters, she went straight for the replicator. "Coffee. Black." She picked up the mug and took a long sip. The warm liquid easing her mind and giving her the caffeine kick she needed. She was always exhausted these days, and being allowed only three cups off coffee a day was going to be the death of her. Turning back to Chakotay she found him seated at his usual spot on the couch. Since the night she had told him, they had made every effort to mend their relationship. She wasn't quite ready to commit to being involved with him just yet, but she was working on it. Chakotay was as patient and supportive as ever. They had dinner together almost every night, and afterwards they would sit and talk for hours. She was fascinated by his stories of his tribe, and he loved to hear her talk about herself as a child growing up in Indiana.

Now she looked at him over the rim of her mug. His eyes were filled with mirth and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Care to let me in on the joke?" She asked coming to sit beside him.

"I would have sworn Tom had put itching powder on your chair today. I don't think I have ever seen you fidget so much in my life."

"It's this damn uniform." She said setting her mug down on the table with a laugh.

He leaned toward her, serious now. "Is it the uniform? Or is it anxiety over telling the crew about the baby? We are going to have to tell them soon Kathryn."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they knew already. Word travels fast on this ship." This was not a conversation she was ready to have. Standing, she turned away from him and walked over to the replicator. "How does mushroom soup sound for dinner?" She began punching buttons on the replicator, not waiting to hear his response.

"Actually, I can't stay for dinner tonight. I promised B'Elanna I would spend some time with her on the holodeck."

She turned to look at him and found him standing by the door. Hands clasped behind his back, his face gave nothing away. If he saw the surprise on her face he didn't say anything. "Of course, you two have a good time. I'll see you tomorrow on the bridge 08:00 hours."

He gave a slight nod, "See you then." and then he was gone. She turned to look at the big pot of his favorite soup that had appeared in the replicator. _Looks like I will be eating alone tonight_ , she thought to herself.

* * *

To say that she was surprised when Chakotay asked her if she wanted to go to the holodeck was an understatement. She knew he had been spending almost every evening with the Captain, but she was glad they would get a chance to catch up. When she arrived at holodeck two Chakotay's boxing program was already running. She entered and took up her usual spot as she stretched her muscles. The gym resembled that of the boxing club back at Starfleet Academy. It was fairly small, and unlike most of the Academy, it wasn't filled with new state of the art equipment. Everything in the room was well worn from use, and the red, blue and yellow colors gave the room an uplifting atmosphere. Some days she could even picture Boothby making his rounds, coaching the cadets.

Chakotay was on the other end of the room, and from the intensity with which he punched the bag over and over again, she knew he had something on his mind. He was so caught up in his thoughts he hadn't even heard her come in. She finished stretching and walked over to him.

"You're dropping your left shoulder." She pointed out, leaning against the wall. "I would say it's a lack on concentration."

He jumped slightly at the sound of her voice, but then he turned to her with a mischievous smile. "Is that so? I guess you will just have to show me how it's done."

"Bring it on old man." She grinned at him. Grabbing her gloves, she ducked into the ring and waited for him to follow.

Several rounds later, Chakotay seemed to be in much better spirits. She tossed him a towel, and they sat down on one of the benches to rest. Leaning back against the cool wall she took a sip of water.

"I'm glad we did this. It's been awhile."

He leaned forward, and rested his arms on his knees. "I know. I'm sorry, I've been busy lately."

"With Captain Janeway." The accusation was out of her mouth before she had time to think about it. He visibly tensed. "I'm sorry Chakotay, I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you're not wrong." With a sign he leaned back against the wall next to her. "Things were pretty tense between Kathryn and I when we first got back, and it effected the crew. Since then, we have been working to fix things between us."

Silence settled over them as she processed his words. There had been a lot of bets going around over what had happened between Chakotay and the Captain when they had been left behind on the planet. Many of them had come from Tom Paris though, and she hadn't given them a second thought. Now, she began to wonder. She hadn't missed how he had addressed the Captain by her first name instead of her title. Maybe there was more between them than simply Captain and First Officer after all. But, as much as she wanted to ask him, she respected Chakotay. If there was more going on, he would tell her when he was ready. She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Whenever you need to talk, I'm always here."

He gave her a small smile, "Thanks, B'Elanna."

After he parted ways with B'Elanna, he when back to his quarters and showered. He debated putting his uniform back on, but instead opted for a nice pair of dark brown pants, and a white shirt. It was late, but he knew Kathryn would still be up. Slipping out of his quarters, he walked the short distance to her door. He heard her call for him to enter, and stepped inside. Chakotay found her seated on the couch. Her uniform jacket lay over the back of the chair, but she still wore her plain grey tank top. Her legs were tucked underneath her, and she leaned her head on the arm resting on the back of the couch. Staring out at the stars passing by, her face was softly illuminated in the light they gave off. She turned to look at him, surprised to see he had returned after walking out on her earlier.

Hands folded behind his back he looked at her, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Have any of that soup left?"

Her face lit up, brighter than the stars outside, and he could have sworn his heart stopped. "Of course."

He sat down at the table while she got out the leftovers. "Can I get you some tea as well?" She asked, placing a bowl of steaming soup before him.

"Please."

The soup smelled amazing, and it tasted even better. She sat across from him, in comfortable silence while he ate. When he finished, he placed the empty bowl in the replicator. Taking his cup of tea in one hand he reached out and took her hand in the other. Chakotay led her over to the couch and sat down beside her.

"Kathryn, we have to talk." He said, placing the cup on the table beside them.

"I know." She shifted to face him, and took both of his hands in her's. "I was unfair to you after we came back. I didn't think I could run this ship and have a romantic relationship. I don't know how to be Captain Janeway and Kathryn at the same time. Heck, I don't even know if there is anything left but the Captain in me!" She took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions. He could see her walls crumbling before her, and a venerability he had never seen before shown in her eyes. "We still have a long journey ahead of us, but I don't want to miss out on life because of it. I want you Chakotay."

A tear ran down her cheek, and he wiped it away with his thumb. He kept his hand there, cupping her face, and letting his thumb run over her soft skin. "I want you too."

"It's not going to be easy, especially not with a baby" she warned.

He chuckled, "When has anything on this ship been easy? We will make it work Kathryn, I know we will. You're worth fighting for."

She leaned into his touch, "So are you."

Looking into her soft blue eyes, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her's. What was meant to be a chaste kiss quickly became passionate, as she ran her hands up his back and into his hair, pulling him down to her. His own hands hungrily roamed her body, eliciting a moan from her as he skimmed one of her slightly swollen breasts. Her hands went under his shirt, to run down his perfectly sculpted chest, down to toy with the waistband of his pants. A low growl sounded in his throat. Wrapping his hands around her waist, he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom.

He set her down on the edge of the bed, and stood between her legs as she began to work on his shirt. Her tank top came off in one fluid movement, quickly followed by both of their pants. Standing there in only his boxer shorts he took a moment to admire her. The sight of Kathryn's swollen breasts straining against her bra started a throbbing in his groin. His eyes traveled down farther, and his breath caught in his throat. Her usual flat stomach now had the slightest roundness to it. Evidence of their child growing within. He had been to every one of her appointments, and had even heard the baby's heartbeat. Yet in this moment, it felt all the more real to him.

"Hey, are you alright?" She whispered. She reached up to trace the tattoo on his forehead, pulling him from his trance.

His warm brown eyes found her's. Instead of answering, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her with a ferocity that left them gasping for breath. The remainder of their clothes soon joined the others on the floor. She fell back on the bed, and he crawled between her legs. They both moaned in pleasure as he slipped inside of her. They took up a fast rhythm, both desperate to feel each other once again.

All too soon her felt her tighten around him. She cried out his name as her orgasm pulsed through her body. He quickly found his own release, and they came spiraling back down together. He laid down beside her, pulling her close. They laid like that for a long time, until they finally drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Skimming through line after line, she looked over the inventory list for cargo bay two. In a few days they would be meeting with an old friend of Nelix's to trade. While she had compiled a list of the items they needed, she had no idea what they other party would be interest in.

The door to her ready room chimed. "Enter."

Chakotay walked in and handed her one of the PADDs he carried. "B'Elanna was hoping we could trade for a few items for engineering."

She skimmed through the list before looking up at Chakotay in disbelief. "A few items? Chakotay, this list is three pages long."

"That's B'Elanna for you," he laughed.

She placed B'Elanna's list on top on top of the inventory list, and shook her head.

"I also have this to show you," he held out the other PADD to her. She took it and began looking it over as he spoke. "Long range sensors detected a planet with enough dilithium to keep this ship running for years."

Her head snapped up, "Years? Well, now you've got my attention."

"Just now?" He gave her a playful smile.

She pretended she didn't hear him, focusing instead on the sensor readings in her hands. "Nitrogen, oxygen atmosphere. Surface composed of mostly ice and water, consistent with a P class planet. Is it inhabited?"

"There was some interference with our sensors due to several plasma storms in the region, but we don't believe so. There also does not appear to be any other inhabited planets nearby." Her eyes met his, sparkling with excitement. An uninhabited planet, in an uninhabited region that just happened to be rich in dilithium? It was almost too perfect. "I know we are supposed to be meeting up with Nelix's friend in a few days, but I would hate to pass up this opportunity. I would like to take a shuttle out and have a look. The planet is just over a day away, and after taking some scans I could meet back up with Voyager."

"Permission granted."

He turned and headed for the door, eager to begin making preparations.

"Chakotay, wait." She stood and walked around to the front of her desk. "Please be careful out there."

Scooping up one of her hands in both of his, he placed a kiss over her fingers. "Always."

* * *

"Shuttle Sacajawea is hailing us Captain." Ensign Kim called from behind her.

"On screen." She stood from her chair and walked to the middle of the room.

Chakotay's face filled the view screen before her. "I'm all set over here Captain."

"Good luck Commander, we will see you in a few days. Voyager out." Their eyes met for less than a second before the transmission was cut. The shuttle craft appeared on the view screen, as it's engines powered up. The warp drive engaged and in flash, the shuttle Sacajawea along with Chakotay, was gone.

"Mr. Paris, resume our previous heading. Warp 6."

"Aye Captain."

Sinking back into her chair she let out a sigh. It was going to be a long couple of days.

Twenty-six hours later, she was again seated on the bridge. She tried desperately to focus on her work to pass the time, but images of Chakotay filled her mind. She had walked with him to the shuttle bay to see him off. Before boarding the shuttle he had turned to her. His arms had wrapped around her waist, and he had kissed her so softly that….

"Captain! We are receiving a distress call. It's from Chakotay's shuttle!" Ensign Kim called, bringing her back to the present.

"On screen!"

"We are getting audio only."

Static filled the room, and she strained to hear Chakotay's voice.

"Harry, can you do anything to clean it up?"

"Almost got it Captain!"

The static quieted down somewhat, and she was able to hear the message.

"Chakotay to Voyager…. plasma storm…took heavy damage….I'm going down!"

Loud static filled the room once more and Kathryn's heart went cold. No one said anything until Harry cut the transmission.

She was the first one to move. Standing she addressed Harry, "Do we have his last known heading?"

"Yes"

"Mr. Paris, lay in a course. Warp 8."

"Aye Captain! Course laid in."

"Engage."

The bridge came alive around her. People came and went, running scans, and reviewing data. All too busy to notice her, frozen in the center, her own personal eye of the storm. She was allowed a few moments of solitude in that calm center, and she placed a hand over her stomach. Looking out the view screen at the stars ahead she gave a silent prayer, _Don't you dare leave me now Chakotay._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

At first, all he could feel was a steady pounding in his head. Slowly he became aware of the hard console pressed against his cheek, and the hiss of gas escaping from a ruptured conduit. Blinking open his eyes, Chakotay took a look around the shuttle. It was a mess. The consoles flickered in and out, and he could smell gas in the air.

"Hydrazine gas levels reaching critical, evacuate immediately," the computer crackled.

Struggling to his feet, he slipped on the heavy winter jacket he had replicated for the trip. Grabbing the emergency pack, he opened the shuttle door. Icy arctic air hit his face, and he was forced to raise his hand as a shield against it as he stepped outside. The sun was blinding in the sky, but it gave no warmth as it reflected off the snow. Pulling out a tricorder he walked around the side of the shuttle. He began scanning what appeared to be burn marks from the plasma storm. The beeping from his tricorder told a different story. These markings weren't from any plasma storm, they were phaser burns.

He turned and started scanning for any lifeforms nearby. There were none to be found, but somehow he didn't think that would last long. Continuing with his scans, he discover what appeared to be a cluster of large caves about 300 meters to the north. It would probably be the best protection he would find from not only the cold and the wind, but from whoever had shot him down as well. Pulling the hood up over his head, he started off towards the caves.

It was slow going. The snow was deep, and the wind pushed and pulled at him, trying to force him down. Several times, he lost his balance, but eventually he made it to the entrance of one of the caves. Opening his pack, he pulled out a wrist light. He strapped it on, and began walking into the cave. As he walked, the sound of the wind slowly died behind him, until finally he was left with the empty silence of the cavern. He came across a slight opening in one wall. It was hidden well, and he had only found it with the aid of his tricorder. On the other side of the opening was a small room. The rock was smooth, and on one side there was a ledge that stuck out, just large enough for someone to lie on.

He knew that this place was too secluded for anyone from Voyager to find him. Their scanners would have a hard time penetrating through all the rock. Hopefully, the same would be true for the people who had shot him down. He would just have to keep an eye out for Voyager. The transmission he had sent just before he had crashed had gone through, but at this point he didn't know what exactly they would be facing when they got here.

Dropping his pack to the floor he began to set up camp. There were enough food rations to last him several days, a good sized blanket, and a small lantern. Setting the lantern down on the floor he switched it on. It cast a soft yellow glow around the room, and he was pleased to note that it gave off a small amount of heat as well. In the bottom of the pack he found a med kit. Taking out the dermal regenerator he passed it over the cuts and scrapes he had sustained in the crash. When he was finished, he placed the med kit back in the pack and set it in the corner. He still had another twenty-four hours until Voyager would arrive, and he decided the best course of action would be to do a bit of scouting before hand.

Darkness had fallen outside the cave. The wind had died down, and the night was still. There wasn't a cloud int he sky, and the planet's two moons shown down, illuminating the ground. He could see without the aid of his wrist light, and keeping close to the ridges of the caves, he would be nearly impossible to spot if anyone was out looking for him.

He spent hours searching the frozen planet. He was just about to turn back, when he noticed a strange flickering between two rocks. Moving closer, he observed what appeared to be a force field. The rocks had shifted over time, leaving a small hole just big enough for a person to crawl through. Glancing around to make sure no one was nearby, he crawled though the hole. On the other side he found himself on the top of a rocky ledge. Crawling to the edge, he looked down into the valley below. A large, brightly lit complex sat before him. The building was wide and long, and although it was only two stories high Chakotay had a suspicion that it extended several stories into the ground. Around the complex itself there was no one in sight. In the adjacent docking area however, he could make out a few humanoids moving about. As he continued to watch, he noticed that several of them were armed. However, that wasn't the sight that turned his blood cold. Anchored in that same docking bay was a ship all to familiar to him.

A Vadiian warship.

* * *

She could feel the change in the ship as they dropped out of warp.

"On screen."

Captain Janeway stared out the view screen in front of her as the planet came into view. It was a swirling mass of white and blue. Even from high above, it looked cold.

"Mr. Paris, assume a standard orbit." She turned to the sensor readings on her console. "Mr. Kim, any sign of Commander Chakotay?"

"I've located the damaged shuttle, but I'm not reading his bio signature." Kathryn felt her heart drop before Harry continued. "However, there is an area north of the shuttle I can't get a solid reading on. As far as I can tell, it appears to be a network of underground caverns, but our sensors are having a hard time penetrating through all the rock."

"Captain, the weather conditions on the planet are extremely harsh. It is entirely possible that the Commander was forced to abandon the shuttle and find shelter elsewhere" Tuvok added.

Janeway stood, a plan already forming in her mind. "Then I'd say those caves are worth a look. Harry, work with B'Elanna on salvaging that shuttle down there. We can't afford to lose another one. Tom, your with me." Tom stood and immediately followed her, leaving an Ensign to take his place at the helm.

As she rounded the railing, she caught Tuvok's eye. While his expression remained as neutral as ever, she had the distinct feeling that he didn't approve of her going on this mission. He didn't risk voicing his concerns in front of everyone on the bridge, but she could tell he was concerned about more than just his Captain's safety. Somehow, Tuvok knew. Imperceivable to anyone but him, she gave him a slight nod, letting him know she understood his concerns and that she would be careful.

"Tuvok, you have the bridge" she called back as they stepped into the turbo lift.

They materialized just outside the entrance to one of the caves. Janeway shivered as the cold air assaulted her. She had experienced far worse during many winters in Indiana, but it had been awhile. Tricorder in hand, they started their search.

An hour later, there still had been no sign of Chakotay. She briefly stopped to check in with Tuvok, who informed her that Harry and B'Elanna had beamed down to the shuttle to begin making repairs. When she ended the transmission, Tom approached her.

"Captain, maybe it would be better if we split up. We could cover more ground."

She wasn't overly fond of the idea, but he was right. They still had a lot of area to cover, and if she was being honest with herself she didn't know how much longer she could keep this up. Her body was starting to protest.

"Agreed, but I want to hear from you every fifteen minutes. Understood?" She gave him a stern look.

"Yes, Ma'am."

They each went their separate ways, and Tom checked in right on time with no issues to report. They still hadn't found Chakotay, but she knew they would. They had to. Shortly after Tom's third check in, Kathryn was rounding a corner when she heard a faint noise behind her. She paused, hand on her phaser, as she listened. Her tricorder showed no sign of any life forms, but the density of the rock around her limited its range to only a few meters. She was well underground at this point. After several moments of silence she continued on again. She had taken no more than three steps when strong arms grabbed her from behind. Her scream died on her lips as a hand clamped over her mouth.


End file.
